For China’s most isolated communities, cooking and heating needs are typically met through inefficient stoves, which also expose families to toxic indoor air pollution. WWF Clean Cookstoves provide a viable and immediate solution for this problem. The wood needed for cooking and heating typically comes from nearby forests; for decades, the deep mountain communities of Shaanxi’s Ningshan County in Central China have collected their wood from the nearby Huangguanshan Nature Reserve, part of the Qinling Giant Panda conservation network, gradually degrading and encroaching on crucial giant panda habitat. We are working with Southpole to protect giant panda habitat and improve health of Central China’s mountain communities through WWF clean cookstoves.
WWF Clean Cookstoves
Working with Southpole to protect giant panda habitat and improve health of Central China’s mountain communities
- Location
- Type
- Registry
- Standards
- China
- Clean Cookstoves
- Gold Standard
Sustainable Development Goals
4,600 people
provided with efficient cookstoves, reducing household fuel costs and improving livelihoods
Better health
as families are less exposed to indoor air pollution
48% less time collecting firewood
a task often assigned to women
The Solution
By reconstructing or improving low-efficiency, built-in stoves, the project is creating healthier, more sustainable cooking and heating practices. The improved stoves are up to 70% more efficient, and
normally contain two or three pots so all types of traditional meals can be cooked! The stoves will be distributed throughout the towns of Huangguan, Xingchang and Simudi.
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The Impact
With the highly efficient cookstoves, families use significantly less wood to cook local Shaanxi dishes, which are known for their aromatic and spicy flavours. The project promotes more sustainable resource use, easing deforestation pressures on local giant panda habitat. The new stoves also feature chimneys that filter out toxic
smoke, creating healthier kitchen environments, and the project alleviates much of the burden of wood chopping and collection. This frees up time for local residents to focus on more productive tasks, like looking after children or working for income.